One-step fabrication of single-crystalline ZnS nanotubes with a novel hollow structure and large surface area for photodetector devices.

ZnS nanotubes (NTs) were successfully prepared via a one-step thermal evaporation process without using any templates. The resulting NTs were single crystalline and structurally uniform. Based on experimental analysis, a tube-growth vapor-liquid-solid process was proposed as the growth mechanism of ZnS NTs. A metal-semiconductor-metal full-nanostructured ultraviolet (UV) photodetector with ZnS NTs as the active layer, and Ag nanowires of low resistivity and high transmissivity as electrodes, was fabricated and characterized. The ZnS NT-based device displayed a high I on/I off ratio of up to ∼1.56 × 105 with a high response to UV incident light at low operation voltage. This work is a meaningful exploration for preparing other one-dimensional semiconductor NTs, and developing a high-performance and power-saving UV sensor.